The event description for Instant Invention has been
difficult to write because the students are not meant to know what the
challenge is until they arrive and begin working.It is a way to foster teamwork, to understand
the design process, to make quick and meaningful decisions, and to create
"Instant" plans that will maximize the team's score.

A general challenge might be as follows: Using the materials
in this bag (3 wooden coffee stirrers, 6"x6" tin foil square, 1 sheet
of 8.5"x11" paper, and 3 paper clips) make a boat that will float
with as much sand in it as possible. Boats will be massed before competing, the amount of sand added will be massed.Scores are calculated by dividing the mass of
sand by the boat's mass.High score wins.A sinking boat or capsizing boat is
disqualified.

Other sample challenges:

-Build
the tallest tower using only "sporks".

-Make
something out of three sheets of paper and 12 inches of tape that will
roll the longest distance from the base of a ramp.

-Use
30 plastic coffee stirrers and 12 inches of tape to make a tower that will
hold the most weight before collapsing.

Teams can best prepare by working together to determine the
strengths and weaknesses of each team member (building, testing, brainstorming,
revising, interpreting rules in order to achieve a
maximum score) and then working on several challenges.Students should investigate the technology
surrounding them in order to create a "library" of ideas to be implemented
in new and creative ways.Think "MacGuyver".

2003 Olympiad Notes:

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*Teams will consist of 2 team members only.

*Teams will be called in to begin this competition at 5
minute intervals.

They will then have 20 minutes to complete the
challenge".

*Teams should concentrate on improving & refining their
communication skills for this excercise.